Environmental groups ask judge to disqualify himself from drilling ban case, throw out ruling

Judge asked to toss decision on drilling ban

NEW ORLEANS — Several environmental groups are asking a federal judge to throw out his order overturning a six-month ban on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico because of his investments in several oil and gas companies.

A court filing Friday by the groups asks U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman to disqualify himself from the case and vacate his June 22 order while a federal appeals court reviews the ruling.

Feldman says he learned he owned Exxon Mobil stock a day before he ruled and sold it several hours before he issued the decision.

But the groups supporting the moratorium say his stock sale doesn’t erase reasonable questions about his impartiality.

Exxon isn’t a party in the case, but the company had one of the 33 existing exploratory rigs shut down by the moratorium.